Metal tube shaping machine



Feb. 6, 1945. c. L. DEWEY METAL TUBE SHAPING MACHINE Filed Au 29,1942 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 C. L. DEWEY METAL TUBE SHAPING MACHINE Feb. 6, 1945.

7 Filed Au .'29, 1942-. Z'Sheets-"Shee'E 2 Patented Feb. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE METAL TUBE SHAPING MACHINE Clarence L. Dewey, Elkhart, Ind. Application August 29, 1942, Serial N o. 456,588

' Claims.

The machine of the present invention is designed to operate in general conformity with the method set .forth and'descrlbed in the Dewey Patent No. 2,265,723, issued December 9, 1941; although the. mechanism herein shown and described involves certain changes and additions which particularly-adapt it for use under special conditions, as will be fully set forth in detail hereafter.

The Dewey method as described in the patent aforesaid provides for the use of a reinforcing bushing or collar which surrounds the undeformed portion of the tube at a point immediately adjacent to the region undergoing deformation for the purpose of confining the deformingoperation to the tubing wall in inmiediate contact with the forming rollers. In the Dewey patent the said bushing or collar is carried directly by the carriage frame which mounts the forming tool so that it is in eflect to be regarded as a permanent or unified constituent inv the structure of the machine.

I It has been found, however, from experience that the reinforcing collar or bushing is frequently subjetced to the abrasive or scouring action of scale particles adhering to the tubing so that under operating conditions it tends to be rap dly worn down and may frequently require replacement in order to maintain the machine in serviceable condition. The present machine is designed to overcome these disadvantages and at the same time provide for adequate reinforcement by the employment of a disconnected ring or collar of proper size to surround the tube, adapted to be moved by the advancement of the carriage so that it will alwaysmaintain its proper position with relation to the tubing which itsur-' rounds. By employing a ring of this character which may be in the form' of a cut-off section of cylindrical tubing of the,proper, diameter, frequent replacements"may be made froin time to time as occasion requires without dismantling the machine as a whole or without stopping its operation during any considerable interval of time since the reinforcing ring may be merely slipped onto the tube in advance of its introduction into the machine and'w ll thereafter per form its-reinforcing operation and maintain its position at all times during the progress of the.

deforming operation.

Further objects and details will appear from a description of the nvention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a view taken transversely of the bed of themachine showing the cama e'm elevation; I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line,22 of Fig. 1; and

F183 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

It is not deemed necessary to show or describe the entire machine since the working parts which constitute the features of the present invention are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The machine'in the form shown is one in which the length of tubing subject to deformation is rotated withoutlongitudinal advancement save that due to the elongation which may be occasioned by its reduction in diameter. With the tubing so held and rotated the forming rolls will be longitudinally advanced and radially moved to impart the intended configuration, although it'will be understood that the principles of the present invention may be equally applied to a machine in which the tubing itself is advanced againstthe forming rolls whichare maintained in a fixed position.

The machine as shown provides for the use of a tool assembly which includes three forming rolls l0 and the mountings therefor. The rolls are of uniform configuration and are mounted at equally spaced intervals to concurrently en-" gage the tube at three equally spaced points,

which arrangement is highly desirable for the purpose of accurately centering the tube inview of the fact that the reinforcing ring or collar ll is not connected to the frame of the machine and I is thus. incapable of assisting in the centering operation. It is desirable to mount the three forming rolls in slightly stepped longitudinal .relation tothe tube since the deforming action is directed against a tube shoulder which is advancing along the tube and whith presents a slight. pitch or spirality which is the result of the concurrent rotation of the vancement of the forming rolls.

However, it will be understood'that the formation or the rolls and the mountings therefor are identical in each case so that a description -of one willsuflice. Each roll Ill as shown is of subtube and the ad-.

stantially elliptical formation in cross section with flat center faces It on each side which merge into beveled actingfaces l4 and with a rounded periphery I5 which directly contacts the tube surface.

It will be noted that the outer margin of the are included in the term tool assembly."

by the ring or collar ll so that the deforming action is confined to that portion of the tube" which is in direct contact with the acting surface of the three forming rolls which thus prevents the tube from being crushed or collapsed beyond the region of deformation. 7 v e The ring or collar Ii is preferably held in sliding frictional engagements'with the tube by the providing of a bowed flat spring ll, one end of which is riveted to the collar with the other end free to press against the tube. Thus as the rolls are advancing against the evolving shoulder on the rotating tube. the reinforcing collar will be shoved forwardly while at all times maintaining its intended position in immediate adjacency to the forming rolls.

Each forming roll is mounted upon or pro-- vided with a shaft Ilia, the ends of which are carried by the ball-races [1 so that the rolls will rotate freely under frictionalcontact with the rotating tube. The inner ball-race I l'is mountedwithin a slide block it which is provided with a chamber is to afford clearance for the .roll and which has screwed thereto a face plate 20, carrying the outer ball-race. The slide plate is mounted for radial movement within a channeled guide arm 2| which, in conjunction with the remaining guide armsaffordin'g the triplicate arrangement, constitutes a rigid guide frame 22 of three point configuration.

Each of the slide plates is held within its channeled guide arm 2| by the provision of overhanging guide bars 23, the inner ends of which contact one another and thus afi'ord mutual reinforcement for the guide frame as a whole.

The guide frame is carried by a carriage block 24 and all of the parts heretofore described which are longitudinally movable relatively to the tube, The carriage block rides upon a flat track rail 25 and a. beveled track rail 28 which extend upward from the base frame 21 of the machine, which may be of any desired length to afford the degree of travel required in the intended operation. It is not deemed necessary to describe any particular means for imparting longitudinal movement to the carriage which means may be of the character commonly employed in lathes or the like for the purpose of advancing'a tool, or similar Y element. It will be understood, however, that the rate of advancement of the carria e should be relatively slow in comparison with the peripheral speed of rotation of the tube surface so that the tube will be subjected to a multiplicity of rotations during the period of its contact with the forming rolls within the region of deformation.

If desired, the means for imparting longitudinal travel may be in the nature of a feeding screw of the character shown in the Dewey patent previously mentioned although other means are equally available for a. like purpose. As shown in Fig. 2,'the forming rolls co-act with an interior two-part mandrel consisting of sections 28 and 29, section 28 being provided with a tongue- 30 fitted into a socket 3| in the section 29 to maintain the proper alignment. The mandrel section 28 is keyed within-apower-driven chuck 32 provided with jaws 33 which also grip the forward end of the tube, while the rear end of the tube with the mandrel section 29 are held within a suitable tail-stock not shown, which, however, will ordinarily permit slippage of the tube to allow for its elongation unless it is desired to prevent such elongation in order to build up the wall thickness in the area subjected to a reduction in diameter.

In order to control the radial in and out movements of the forming rolls, each of the slides I.

has mounted thereon template roller M, the ends which is secured to an adjacent beam 39 by means of bolts 40. The sideof the beam is inwardly shouldered to provide contact for the template 4i; and shims may. if necessary, be employed to true the position for the configured edge of the template with respect to the roller with which it co-acts. The template as shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a relatively short hump or projection .42, having an edge configuration which is complementary to the surface configuration of the mandrel so that as the carriage is advanced against the rotating tube the forming rolls will be forced inward.'that is, radially inward, to the degree required to reduce the diameter of the tube to the extent permitted by the interior :mandrel. v

It will, of course, be understood, however, that if a thinning of the'wall thickness is required, the configuration of the template will be such as to reduce the gap between the rollers and the mandrel with a resultant squeezing and thinning. of

' the metal wall of the tube. In like-manner the contacted by a spring 44 which thus resists theinward thrust of the' slide plate occasioned by inward protuberances on the template. As shown in Fig. 1 the template occupies an intermediate position between the bearing blocks 36, andthe springs 44 are mounted upon upwardly extending bolt rods 45, the inner ends of which are screwed into the associated guide arms.

In order to adjust the carriage without maintaining a contact between the template rollers and the templates, each of the rollers is provided with an outwardly protruding stem 46 which permits it to be withdrawn from its bearings temporarily during the adjustment of the carriage.

It should be understood that each of the slide plates is similarly equipped and provided with a roller which co-acts with its template in suitable position as shown in Fig. 1. 1 Y

Operation With the end of a length of tubing mounted upon the mandrel and engaged by the jaws of the clutch, and with the carriage retracted to such position with respect to'the templates that the template rolls will clear the hump. Power will be appliedto the chuck and to the carriagewith the result that the'tube and the enclosed mandrel will be rapidly rotated while the carriage is slowv1y advanced longitudinally and until the template rollers engage the protuberant portions of the respective templates at which point the rollers will begin, to move inwardly in conformity of the pattern afforded by the edges of the templates. These movements will serve to begin the reduction in diameter of the tube. conformably I aaoaovs" to the template pattern and the configuration of the mandrel, and these operations will result in a formation of a tube shoulder against which the or associated parts of the carriage whileimaintaining itself constantly at theproper point to perform the required reinforcing function, and

this is particularly necessary in view of the fact that the tube immediately in advance'of the region of deformation is spaced out from the configuring mandrel so that the-latter aflordszno in-. terior reinforcement for the tube at thisv stage.

The method of the present invention is intended primarily foruse in a configuring of metal tubes which have been heated to a high degree at or near the area of deformation which occasions the formation of a scale having sharp abrasive properties, and which, as the reinforcing collar is advanced along the tube surface, will have a tendency to scour or cut or abrade the invtei'ior surface of the collar which must of necessity be somewhat snugly fitted upon the tube to subserve its reinforcing function. 1

Since collars or the character shown maybe readily out as unit sections from length of tubing of the required diameter, and since the scouring and abrasion will quickly tend to wearout such a collar, it'is evident that an inexpensive, easily replaceable, and readily fitted collar of the character here described is highly desirable in that it enables the work to proceed without interruption since collars of thischaracter may be readily fitted onto the lengths of tubing in advance of their introduction into the'machine o that a constant supply of collars may be kept on hand'and replaced from time to time as occasion may require.

The tri-point roller contact here employed possesses special advantages in an operation ofthis kind, since the three equallyspaced rollers afford accurate centering for the tube which thus eliminates the necessity for fitting the collar it'- self into the frame of the machine in'order to subserve a centering functioni w After the carriage has advanced to the extent required to reduce the tube throughout the configured section of the mandrel and template, the machine may be stopped and themandrel sections separately withdrawn from opposite ends of the tube which completes the operation.

Although I have referred throughout to the fact that the collar is not connected with the frame of the carriage or other portion of the machine, I wish it to be understood that such statements are not intended to apply-to the 'use'of a mere temporary engagement of the collar to the carriage as a convenient means of holding the parts in proper operating relation where substantially all the support for the collar is afforded by the tubing itself rather thanby the machine.

I claim:

1. Ina machine for configuring tubing the combination of a plurality of forming rolls positioned o contact a tube wall at spaced intervals and adapted to center and radially support the same at the region of deformation, mountings for the respective rolls adapted. to permit radial movement thereof, means for moving the respective rolls radially in conformity with the requirements of the? intendedconfiguration; means-for relatively' rotating the tube with respect to the rolls, means for relatively advancing the rolls withrespect to the tube, 'and alclosely fitting reenforcing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustable endwise'free from external connection with the machine and surroundingthe tubeinimmediateadjacency to the region subject to the deforming'a'ction of the rolls and positioned to be contacted and held in operative relation closeto the rolls and slidably adjusted relativelyto the tube by'therelative longitudinal movement between the rolls and'the tube;

2. In a machine for configuring tubing the combination of a plurality of forming rolls positionedto contact a tube wall at spaced intervals and adapted to center and radially support the. same at the region of deformation, mountings for the respective rolls "adapted to permit/radial movement thereof, means for moving the respece tive rolls radially in conformity with therequirements of the intendedc'o'nfiguration; means for rolls, means for relatively advancing the rolls with respect to the 'tube, a closely fitting 'reenrelatively rotating' the tube with respect to'the foroirm collar freely m'ounted upon andslidably adjustableendwise free from external connection with the machine'and surroundingthe tube in immediate adjacency to the regionsubiect to the deforming action of the rolls and positioned to'be contacted and held in operative relation close to the rolls and slidably adjusted relatively to the tube by the relative longitudinal movement between the rolls and thetube,-an'd a spring memher secured to the collar and engaging the tube .to maintain frictional'spring tension between the collar and tube.

a. In a machine for configuring tubing the combination ofthree forming rolls equally spaced with relation to the axis of the tube to be configured and adapted to apply radiallydirected "support and deforming pressure equally atthr'ee points upon the tube wall, a mounting for each of .the rolls comprising a guide armfa slide plate radially movable within the guide arm, the guide arms extending radially from a common center and'in .unison constituting a guide frame, means for imparting predetermined radial movements,

to the slide plates, means forimp'arting relative rotation-between the tubeandthe guide frame, means for imparting relative longitudinal move- I ment between the tube and-the guide frame, and

a closely fitting reenforcing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustable endwise free from external connection with themachine, and surrounding the tubin immediate adjacency to'the region subject to the deforming action ofithe rolls andpositioned to be contacted and held in operative relation'close to the rolls and slidably addusted relatively to the tube by the relative longitudinal movement between tube. v

4. In a machine for configuring tubing the the rolls and the combination of three forming rolls equally spaced with relation to the axis of the tube to be conto the slide plates. means for imparting relative rotation between thetube and the guide frame,"

me nsi t-imnert es-re atirglo eitudmal move 'ment between he tube and; -the guide frame,- a closely fitt nf'orcingcollar freely mounted with the machine and sur ed ofbe contacted'and held inoperaose to the rolls and slidably advely to the tube by the relative'longiovement between the rolls and the tube, g member secured to the collar and engagin the tube to maintain frictional spring tension: between the collar and tube. 5.}, In a machine for configuring tubing the combination of. a plurality of forming rolls posiweaned to contact a tube wall at spaced intervals land adapted to center and radially support the same at the region of deformation, mountings for the respective rolls adapted to permit radial movement thereof, means for moving the respective rolls radially in conformity with the requirements of the intended configuration; means for relatively rotating the tube with respect tothe rolls, means for relatively advancing the rolls with respect to the tube, a closely fitting reenforc-' ing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustabie endwise free from external connection withthe machine and surrounding the tube in immediate adjacency to the region subject to the deforming action of the rolls and positioned to be contacted by at least one of the rolls and held in operative relation close to the rolls and slidably adjusted relatively to the tubeby the relative longitudinal movement between the rolls and the tube, and a mandrel within the tube and having within the region of intended deformation a a yi adjustable endwise free from v v et ib inimmediate adjacency to the I I regio' subr ct tothe deforming action of the rolls peripheral configuration complementary to the pattern of the radial movements imparted to the rolls and mounted to maintain a fixed location relative to the tube.

6. In a machine for configuring'tubing the combination of a plurality of forming rolls positioned to contact a tube wall at spaced intervals and adapted to center and radially support the same at the region of deformation, mountings 3, for the respective rolls adapted to permit radial movement thereof, means for moving the resper ative'rolls radially in conformity with the requirements of the intended configuration;

means, for relatively rotating the tube with re- I spect to the rolls, means for relatively advancing therolls with respect to the tube, a closely fitting reenforcing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustable endwise free from external connection with themachineand surrounding the tube in immediate adjacency to the region subject to the deforming action of the rolls and 3 positioned to be contacted by at least one of the I rolls and held in operative relation close to the rolls and slidably adjustedrelatively to the tube 1 by the relative'longitudinal movement between 1 the rolls and the tube, a springmen ber secured to the collar and engaging the tube to maintain frictional spring tension between the collar and tube, and a mandrel within thetube and having within the region ofintended deformations. 1 peripheral configuration complementary tothe pattern of the radial movements imparted to the rolls and mounted to maintain a fixed location 3 relative to the tube.

7. In a machine for configuring tubing the l i combination of three forming rolls equallyrspaced with relation to the axis of the tube to be con- 3 figured and adapted to apply radially directed support and deforming pressure equally at three points upon the tube wall, a mounting for each of the rolls comprising a guide arm, a slide plate radially movable within the guide arm, the guide arms extending radially from a common center and in unison constituting a guide frame, means for imparting predetermined radial movements to the slide plates, means for imparting relative rotation between the tube and the guide frame, means for impartingrelative longitudinal movement between the tube and the guide frame, a

closely fitting reenforcing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustable endwise free from external connection with the machine and surrounding the tube in immediate adjacency to the region subject to the deforming action of the rolls and positioned to be contacted by at least one of the rolls and held in operative relation close to the rolls and slidably adjusted relatively to the tube by the relative longitudinal movement between the rolls and the tube, and a mandrel within the tube and having within the region of intended deformation; a peripheral configuration complementary to the pattemof the radial movements imparted to the rolls and mounted to maintain a fixed location relative tothe tube.

8. In a machine for configuring tubing the combination ofthree forming rolls equally spaced with relation to the axis of the tube to be configured and adapted to apply radially directed support and deforming pressure equally at three points upon the tube wall, a mounting for each of the rolls comprising a guide arm, a slide plate radiallymovable within the guide arm, the guide arms extending radially from a common center and in unison constitutinga guide frame, means forimparting predetermined radial movements to the slide plates, means for imparting relative rotation between the tube and the guide frame,

means for imparting'relative longitudinal movement between the tube and the guide frame, a closely fitting reenforcing collar freely mounted upon and slidably adjustable endwise free from external connection with the machine and surrounding the tube in immediate adjacency to the region subject to; the deforming action of the rolls and positioned tobe contacted by at least one of the rolls and held in operative relation close to the rolls and slidably adjusted relatively to the tube by the relative longitudinal movement between the rolls and the tube, a spring'member secured to the collar and engaging the tube to maintain frictional spring tension between the collar andtube, and a mandrel within the tube and having within theregion of intended deformation a peripheral configuration complementary to the pattern of the radial movements imparted to the rolls and mounted to maintain a fixed location relative to the tube.

9. A machine for configuring tubing comprising a bed, a tool assembly mounted upon the bed, and including a plurality of tube centering and supporting forming rolls slidable within the tool assembly for relative radial movements with respect to the axis of the tubing being configured, means for radially moving the rolls to configure the tube supported thereby, means for relatively advancingthe tool assembly with respect to the tube, a tube reenforcing collar mounted solely upon and slidably surrounding I the tube adjacent the tool assembly in position to be contacted by a portion thereof to impart longitudinal movement along the tube by relative movement of the tool assembly andtube.

aeoaevs l 5 10. A machine for conilzurinptubln: comprisin; a bed, a tool assembly mounted upon the bed and including aplurality of tube centering and supporting forming rolls slidable within the tool assembly for relative radial movements with respect to the axis of the tubing being configured, means for radially moving the rolls to configure the tube supported thereby, means for relatively advancing the tool assembly with respect'to the tube. a tube reentorcing collar mounted'solely.

upon and slidably surrounding the tube adjacent the tool assembly in position to be contacted by the side of at least one of the forming rolls during the operation of the machine for relatively advancing the collar alongthe tube.

CLARENCE L. DEWEY. 

